Good or Bad Budget Baitcaster? Unboxing and Cast Testing KastKing Zephyr Baitasting Reel

[@davidbrooks6084]

I bought this reel back when they first came out and mine didn't have an issue with the rubbing you experienced. Unfortunately I only got to use it twice before it was mangled pretty bad in a weird windy boat cover traveling incident. Long story.... Mine did cast well though and is still usable but it's all scratched up and the little rubber part of the spool release button is gone, which is very annoying to the touch.

[@rawrfishing]

Oh glad yours was working. I wonder if it had to do with the reel stuck at the Unboxing video. Could be a broken one! If Kastking feel that this is the case, they can reach out to me and I can do a other vid... But I will pin this comment so folks know that this reel could potentially have been a missed on QC as you have reported the reel casted better than this!

[@davidbrooks6084]

Yeah, I think the one you had probably had a QC issue. Thanks for the honest review. I know there are more premium offer out there now but I'm a Zephyr BFS fan. My favorite setup these days. Love your content dude.@@rawrfishing

[@rawrfishing]

Yee Yee! Thx for the love. I still use the zephyr for the L plus rods and ML! Salt water fun! Tight lines bud

[@cheyenneallen4901]

​@@rawrfishingcan u use crappie lures on this i do tons micro bait fishing

[@kman2015]

Abu bmax3 was my first low-pro but I grabbed a zephyr bfs + 4'8" tsu dragon ii and a perigee ii after watching your videos. I definitely agree with not liking the locking mechanism for the side plate but for an introductory bfs reel, I'm not complaining too much. Thanks for your perspectives Jimbo!

[@rawrfishing]

Nice! Thx for being a fan of the channel and taking my reviews into consideration! 🙏

[@neilfahy4065]

Ive had the Zeph bfs reel and i dig it. The regular Zeph baitcaster reel just arrived last night And I can't wait to set it up and take it out tomorrow for some fall bass. Thank you so much for the review. I'm listening to it on my way to work and this reel is just sitting in my lap LOL

[@rawrfishing]

The zephyr bfs is pretty good. Especially for the price and when it was originally released. Still good for what it offers in the US market as there's none at the same spool size and price point! But this green reel... Unfortunately was horrible for me. Hope yours is not rubbing like mine and can cast

[@pacman_17]

I appreciate the honest review. They should have thoroughly tested the prototype before releasing it. Manufacturers should send the prototypes to their affiliates for feedback before they go into full production. There are many $50 reels that don't have over braking problems.

[@rawrfishing]

Thx bud! It could also be a dud! Remember that cracking noise at the beginning of the video? Something might have broke in there 😂🤣

[@pondbossbaits4579]

I have 3 of them and haven’t had an issue with any of them. Great reel in my experience.

[@rawrfishing]

Cool! Glad to hear u got a good one. Guess I got a bad egg!

[@crosscountrybankangler]

KK must have some QC issues. My first baitcaster was the Spartacus II which was not overbraked and was solid to learn on. I have enjoyed the zephyr bfs as well. I like the budget reel videos, definitely helpful for the beginners out there 😎

[@rawrfishing]

I had that reel too! Not too bad. Still have it. That reel is better than this as well.. But hope that this was just a QC issue! Your are welcome! More to come then :)

[@TheAusherGuy]

I bought one last year. Works well for me. I'll probably sell my centron lite. Mine doesn't seem to be over braked at all. Nor have i noticed any rubbing. I have the zephyr bfs and the valiant esgle 2 bfs reel also. So far happy with kastking reels for the price. Probably be it for anymore kastking reels for now. I cant use them all ot take all of them with me when i fish.

[@rawrfishing]

I could have gotten a bad egg! But that's great that u got a good one! Perhaps I should look into their more expensive reels next time?

[@wigschevy4208]

Must just be that reel... I just bought one and spooled it up. I'm not a baitcast guy. I watched your video to learn how this reel functions. Mine reacted nothing like yours. Had the break on 1 because of your video, and it started to rats nest just dropping the lure in the garage.

[@rawrfishing]

@@wigschevy4208 definitely my reel. No way they can sell a reel like that.

[@rougaroux2359]

In all honesty I would tell anyone to save up a little more money and get the Tatula 100. I’ve looked around and for $130 you will have a great reel that would last for years. This is coming from someone that was a Shimano and Abu Garcia fan. And folks I highly trust the little Rawr when it Combes to rods and reels.

[@rawrfishing]

While I would, have u ever been in a financial situation where u eat just white rice and u would use those cheap take out fake soy sauce rather than real ones from a bottle? Even struggling folks need some sort of recreational activities to stay sane or even try to go out and catch dinner. Coming from a once poor guy who lived through getting cheap stuff to Daiwa and Shimano! But yeah I think Tatula 100 is ranked 1 right now for how easy and also how amazing the quality is! That's why I chose that reel to be my reel for my casting tutorial! 👍👍

[@rougaroux2359]

@@rawrfishing brother I am a poor man. When I buy a new piece of fishing gear it usually takes me 5 years to save up. That is unless my fishing partner buys it for me. It makes me feel bad to be ing this situation. I fish when I can to put food on the table.

[@rawrfishing]

Word! Then we are alike in many ways! That's why I try to play with products in both end of the spectrum and try to find the best available products for ppl. While kastking does have some cheap affordable stuff, as we saw here, not all of em come out of the box working well! And if it works, how long does it actually last? Some of my heavily used KK reels lasted not more than 1.5 years. I can name Em too! 1st Gen speed demon 2nd Gen speed demon 1st Gen Mega Jaws Elite Now... Everyone have seen me use my zephyr bfs reel the longest! Still got the first one ever to be seen on social media! Using it for saltwater now!

[@magicwolf6511]

Isn't this kastking royale legend 3 but for western market?

[@rawrfishing]

No clue. I don't mess with their eastern products anymore

[@intensity.density2208]

I think Kastking are taking shortcuts on testing and quality. They capitalised off of the Zephyr hype a couple years ago. When the Zephyr first came out it was a great reel! My first Zephyr which was purchased not long after the first release was excellent. Smooth functioning and no issues. About a year later, I purchased a second zephyr and it was bad. The breaking wasn't easily adjustable like the first reel and it in felt over braked. The side plate was hard to take off and put back on. The reel wasnt smooth. So they sent me a replacement reel. I had similar issues with the replacement. I never bought a kastking product again. They're skimping on quality

[@rawrfishing]

They spending money on big pro anglers... No money to fix anything or QA things... Shame that they became like this! Glad I bailed before it happened

[@intensity.density2208]

@@rawrfishing yup, they're not caring for the customers which are the people who provide that money for them to spend on pros

[@rawrfishing]

They could have worked with me to improve the bfs products. But they decided to push a broken product through bigger non bait finesse influencers like monster Mike.. 🤦

[@technicallycorrect838]

Thanks for the review. I wonder if they tested this thing and said “Looks good to me, ship it!” 😅 Or were they thinking that beginners will get this and like it since they don’t birds nest a lot.

[@rawrfishing]

Lol, that reel was no good! Definitely shouldn't remove the ability to over spool. They should just teach ppl how to setup the reel PROPERLY and show them how to cast

[@pi55bier]

I own this reel. It is very over braked but its hard to backlash. I was casting 15lb mono with 3/8oz spinnerbaits and jigs. I think I'd benefit from a bearings upgrade to compensate for being over braked imho. Edit: the spool bearing says its 5x10x4 but in reality its 5×11×4. Easiest bearing pin I've ever removed. You can probably do without tools!

[@rawrfishing]

I returned the broken junk... Got the mega Jaws elite and returned that too! Kastking gonna hate me for life now lol

[@PsychoSynoptic]

so heres a wild idea. put that thing on like one of the 5 ft zebco spin cast rods and give it to your kid. Idk his age but im pretty sure thumbing isn't something your really worried about him learning at first if hes on the younger side like 4 or so. I image just from how the things casting. Things like backlashes and blowouts may be just impossible on that reel

[@rawrfishing]

Based on the comments from other folks that owns this reel, I have gotten a bad qc reel. My son will have kestrel elites to practice with so he will be good :) I got ton of bfs rods for him to play with as well 👍

[@chepachii]

I bought a reel with this braking system , the royal legend 3. It is absolutely trash. Overbraked, can't see how they can even sell it.

[@rawrfishing]

Definitely, something is wrong here!

[@Jd.g._.bisexual]

I prefer my abu Garcia black max bait caster reels

[@rawrfishing]

Compared to this... Definitely! Cheap reel that performs so well!

[@davidsalazar6212]

The zephyrs brakes are honestly garbage I had high hopes for it but it fell short

[@rawrfishing]

Couldn't test it since mine was broken out of the box! Bummer

[@testing123...]

reel sounds dry! mine is one of my best performers long caster

[@rawrfishing]

Sounds broken! Worst reel out of the box for 2024!

[@dbbfishing2528]

The sharky already fell apart for me

[@rawrfishing]

Oh wow that stinks! Good to know!

[@escapetherace1943]

Okuma or Abu for me lol

[@rawrfishing]

I never owned an okuma casting reel. Nothing from their offerings have enticed me. But I am all ears! Let's hear what's your fav baitcasting reel from them!

[@escapetherace1943]

@@rawrfishing I just have an old avenger that was used for years, given to me, and used for some more years and it's held up and casts and reels very smooth. Looks totally different than the 'new' avenger reels though, so who knows. If it breaks I'll give them a chance.